by Saxon Andrew
• • •
Jek and Sam were sitting against the log next to the fire in the clearing on Bellingham. Sam was giving Jek a scolding for his reckless behavior on the Sand Planet. Finally, Jek took as much as he could stand and said, “You need to start worrying about things that go wrong.”
Sam stopped talking and looked at Jek, “Say what?”
“Did everything turn out fine.” Sam stared at him in silence and Jek repeated, “Did it?”
“Yes…but you were lucky.”
“Were you lucky when you originally confronted the Dragon Queen and Gregor?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You have your way of doing things and I do as well. It worked out so you need to just put it behind you and move on.”
Sam’s eyes narrowed and then heard behind him, “He’s right, Sam.” They turned around and saw Jel, Angel, and Elena standing behind the log. Jel continued, “You know Jek is a warrior first, last, and always. Yelling at him for being who he is won’t change him at all and is a waste of breath…trust me, I know.”
Sam stared at her and sighed. He turned to Jek and said, “It would have been too much to bear if I lost you.”
“That’s the risk of doing what’s right, Sam. You didn’t, so let it go. All of us will be facing overwhelming odds before this is over so we need to get on with it,” Jek answered.
Jel, Angel and Elena stepped over the log and sat next to them. Sam blew out a breath and said, “I’ve always found peace sitting at this fire.” He put his right arm around Angel and she snuggled in closer. Elena moved under Sam’s left arm and he hugged them both.
Jek looked at Sam, “So, what’s the next step. Has a plan been developed for when the Tronan show up?”
“I really hope you’ve come up with some ideas. I’m getting really bored waiting on them!”
Everyone turned around and saw Leonidas and Desiree, Gem and Ana, as well as Gregor and Kaylee standing behind the log. Sam smiled at Leo, “You’ve never been very patient.” Sam chuckled, “Has everyone seen the recordings our scouts brought back.”
Gem nodded, “We viewed them and were discussing what we’re up against when Jek told us you were here at the fire and to come join you.”
Sam looked at Jek and he shrugged, “I needed them to come and get you off my back.”
Sam stared at him and then laughed, “Yeah, I guess you did.” Sam turned around and said, “Everyone sit down and let’s talk about it. This is as good a place as any to start to developing one.”
Angel looked at Sam and said, “Before we start, I have a question.”
“What is that?”
Angel turned to Gem, “How old does one have to be to go through the process you’ve developed to enhance a human’s body?”
Gem tilted his head as his eyes narrowed, “Why do you ask?”
“Just answer the question, please.”
Gem shrugged, “The older a person is, the more painful the process becomes. By the time a person is in their forties, the pain could kill them.”
“Are you saying the younger a person is, the better?”
“Yes.”
“I want you to put Elena through the process.”
Sam jerked his head down to Angel and said, “You’ve not discussed this with me!”
Angel ignored him and continued, “Angel is going to be a warrior. It’s the path she’s chosen and I want her to have every advantage she can possess to improve her chances of survival. Will you do it?”
Gem glanced at Sam and saw him backing down. He looked at ten-year old Elena and smiled, “How do you feel about this?”
Elena shrugged, “Mother is right; I’ve chosen to be a warrior. I’ve seen what Father and Jek can do and I would like the same skills. Mother and I agree that it would help me when I enter combat.”
Sam quickly said, “Gem, isn’t she too young to do this?”
Gem lifted his right shoulder, “No, matter of fact, the younger a person is, the less pain they experience.”
Leonidas shook his head, “Why is that? The pain I went through was incredible.”
“That’s because you had to rework all of your neural pathways along with your muscular and skeletal frame. A young person is still developing and it’s not as painful to redirect their development. I suspect it won’t be difficult at all for Elena to make the necessary changes. If that’s what she wants to do.”
Elena smiled, “I definitely want to do it.”
Gem shrugged, “Then you can go with me after this meeting and get started.”
Angel looked at Gem, “May I go with her and be with her while she’s going through it?”
“Yes. Your presence will help her,” Gem replied.
Sam looked at Angel, “Are you sure about this?”
“You’ve heard her vision. What do you think?”
Sam blew out a breath and nodded, “You’re right.”
He turned back to the group and Desiree said, “What vision is she talking about?”
Elena saw everyone staring at her and she started speaking, “I had a vision some months back. I was part of an attack platoon of Bellingham Warriors and we were facing a large Tronan Unit. I saw a Tronan Heavy Blaster turn its barrel toward us and open fire.”
Sam interrupted, “I’ve been able to determine that the planet where this vision takes place is on Bandasar. Elena believes it takes place about six years from now.”
Jek’s eyes narrowed, “Bandasar is the closest inhabited planet to Heaven’s intersection now that Heaven has been destroyed. How did you come up with six years from now?”
Elena said matter-of-factly, “I will have to be sixteen-years old to join the military. That’s six years away.”
Jek stared at Elena and Sam could read his expression, “Jek, what are you thinking? Do you see it another way?”
Jek sighed and shook his head, “Sam, your daughter is already one of the best warriors on the planet. No one can match her with a bow and her sword skills are approaching those of our best warriors. You know this, don’t you?” Sam glanced at Elena as he nodded. “If she goes through the transformation, she will be the best warrior on Bellingham. Are you saying she won’t be used if the Tronan invade now!”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying!!” Sam looked at Angel and saw her lower her head. “Tell them I’m right, Angel!”
“Sam, why do you think I’m asking for Gem to put her through the process now? The Council of Elders will decide who goes to meet the Tronan and are you so certain they won’t vote for her to go with them?”
“But they wouldn’t enlist a child!”
“They’ll send our best, Sam.”
Sam stared at Angel with his eyes little more than slits and Elena said softly, “If I weren’t your daughter, you’d insist on sending the best warriors regardless of their age.” Sam jerked his head round to her and she didn’t flinch, “You know I’m right.”
Leonidas watched the proceedings and said, “Then that only means one thing.” Everyone turned to him and Leonidas smiled, “We have to come up with a plan that prevents the Tronan from going to Bandasar. If we can do that, then Elena will be correct in assuming she is sixteen when they invade.” Sam stared at Leo and he said, “Come on, Sam. You’re a genius at developing strategy. Come up with one that keeps Elena out of trouble until six years from now.”
“Leo, we can’t attack them in their own space. They’ll immediately launch overwhelming forces against us long before six years from now.”
“I realize that. But you sold me on the idea of buying time by allowing them to invade again, so send their next forces to investigate the loss of the two-hundred warships we destroyed. That force shouldn’t be overwhelming. Come up with a plan that defeats them without their invading a populated planet.”
Desiree smiled, “You have to bait them to go somewhere else, Sam.”
Sam stared at her and his eyes narrowed. Everyone waite
d in silence and after a few minutes Sam shrugged, “I’ve thought about this and I think there might be a modification that would work.” He looked at Angel, “It would require you to do your magic.”
Angel smiled, “Whatever it takes, I’m in.”
Elena rolled her eyes and Jek smiled, “You were hoping you’d get to fight now, weren’t you?”
Elena sighed and Angel said, “She is a warrior, Jek.”
Jek laughed, “I can see that.” He turned to Sam, “What’s the plan?”
Sam started talking and everyone listened; after a few minutes, they began nodding.
• • •
The Prime Director heard a ping on his panel and pressed a button. He listened to a message and leaned back in his command chair. He reviewed prior messages and then pressed a button on his communication panel. A moment later, a face appeared on his console’s monitor, “It has just been brought to my attention that the stores we sent with the Squadron to investigate the loss of our warship would be running out at this point. Have you heard anything from the Squadron?”
The Major Fleet Director shook his head, “No, Prime Director.”
“You’ve not received a message probe or anything from them?”
“No, Prime Director.” The Prime Director stared at the Fleet Director on his monitor and he said, “The only conclusion that I can determine is that there is a strong possibility that the Squadron has been lost.”
“That would mean that the first Warship and the Squadron have encountered a civilization that represents a danger to us,” The Prime Director stated.
“I could send another warship to follow them and see if they are on the journey back to our space.”
“Which would delay taking action for another two or three years. I will not tolerate that again.”
The Major Fleet Leader lowered his head, “Yes, Prime Director. What are your orders?”
“It is your ships that have failed to carry out their mission. You will dispatch five full fleets to investigate.”
“But that would remove more than sixty-percent of my forces!”
“If you question me again, someone else will be carrying out my orders!” The Prime Director saw the Fleet Director wilt on the monitor and he continued, “You will provision the five-fleets from your stores for a four-year voyage and you will have a line of warships to follow them such that they will remain in constant communication range for their entire voyage. Is that clear?!”
“Yes, Prime Director. May I use some communication probes between my following ships to keep the line intact?”
“Why would you choose to do that?”
“The expense, Prime Director. It will take hundreds of warships to set up the communication line but if you will allow me to use the probes, I can do it with twenty-warships.”
The Prime Director thought about it for a long moment and looked at his Second, “What do you think about this suggestion?”
“The probes will keep the communication line open and they will not cause an expense to do it.”
“And what happens if a probe malfunctions?”
“Director, they’ll simply launch another probe and reestablish the line. The idea sounds like a good suggestion,” The Second replied.
The Prime Director looked back at the Fleet Director, “You may use the probes. However, if the communication line doesn’t operate as you suggest, you will not be given a second chance to fail me again.”
The Major Fleet Leader nodded and saw his monitor go dark.
• • •
Pat and Gloria were holding station just off the Death Filament next to the first intersection in Tronan Territory. Gloria sighed and said, “This is boring. When are we due to be relieved?”
“Another three weeks.”
“Well, at least we have enough provisions on board.”
Pat shook her head, “Yeah, but those pills and supplement taste like cardboard. I wonder why Captain O’Connor insisted on having so many stacked up on board.”
Gloria shrugged, “I guess there is a possibility that we could be stranded here if he’s force to leave.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Don’t you think we’d leave and join him before he goes?”
“I think it would be better to have them and not need them than to be without them and…”
“Need them,” Pat finished. Pat looked at her panel and sat straight up in her chair, “I have five large formations of Tronan Vessels moving into the intersection.”
“WHAT?”
“The computer estimates twenty-five thousand Tronan Warships are moving through the intersection!”
Gloria snatched up her communicator and began speaking. A minute later, her message was sent out in a squeal burst to Tommy Cranton holding station between them and the Bow String. Tommy received the message and forwarded it to Captain O’Connor. “Roger, this looks like the invasion!”
They waited and three minutes later, they received a squeal burst. Roger put it on the wall speaker and they heard, “I am going to have to leave with the Bow string. I want you to notify Captain Hashem that I want her to allow the Tronan Fleets that pass her and to stay on station and notify you if anything is coming behind those fleets. You will stay ahead of those Tronan forces and stay within communication range of the other scout. If she detects anything else moving our way, you will leave and notify our pickets what’s happening.”
Roger looked at Tommy, “We won’t be able to stay in range if Gloria doesn’t at least move our way pacing those fleets.”
Tommy nodded, “I know. I’ll tell her what’s going on and it’s up to us to make sure those fleets are all we’ll be up against.”
Gloria received the message and rolled her eyes, “What were you saying about the provisions, Pat?”
“I said I love having them, Sir.”
“No, you didn’t!”
“A lady is allowed to change her mind.”
Gloria snickered and said, “I’m going to move us away from the filament and wait for them to pass. I wonder what O’Connor is expecting to happen?”
Pat shrugged, “I don’t know. But we’ll soon find out.” She hesitated and said, “What do you think is going to happen?”
Gloria stared at the monitor as the giant Tronan Formations began moving out of the intersection and said, “What do you think we would do if we sent ships here and all of them were lost without a trace?” Pat thought about it and then her eyes widened. Gloria nodded, “I would make sure that whatever happened afterwards would not go unnoticed. O’Connor is probably right. They’re going to follow these fleets and make sure whatever happens to them gets back to their leaders.”
Pat nodded and then looked at her monitor, “I have a small group of Tronan Warships following the fleets. They appear to be at the edge of their communication range.”
“I’m going to keep the scout between the second group and the main fleets. That should allow us to stay in range of Tommy’s vessel.” Pat nodded and continued to stare at her monitor.
Chapter Eleven
Randy flew the scout through the intersection, deactivated the stardrive, and looked up quickly waiting for the main scanner monitor to activate as Emily turned on the active scanner beams. Images appeared and he said, “Good grief!”
Emily sighed and nodded, “Good grief is right. There’s huge clouds of debris scattered all over this system.”
“Do you think the Tronan could detect this from the intersection?”
“Without doubt, Randy. They would have to enter normal space to see it clearly, though.”
“I suspect they’ll launch some probes to do the initial investigation. Does this debris have a Tronan signature?”
“The vast majority of it does. Most of it is the armor they use on their ships and it does have a unique pattern.”
Randy put his hands on the scout’s controls, “All right, I’m moving in close to Heaven and I need you to find t
he densest field of debris close to the former planet.” Emily nodded and focused on her monitors. Randy stared at the forward viewport and worried about Emily. She was still suffering from the loss of her husband. He could only do what he could. She needed to get involved in what was happening and focus on something other than her loss. So far, that wasn’t happening. She would suddenly burst into tears at the craziest moments. Something reminded her of Frank and she’d lose it.
“I’m activating the mapping program now.”
Randy watched the computer start mapping everything in normal space around the scout and then he activated the stardrive and moved half of a light year and reentered normal space. He waited as the computer mapped the area and then he repeated the process. Two days later, they arrived at the new star that had once been Heaven and he heard Emily say, “This is the densest cloud of debris. There are giant chunks of Tronan Warships around us. All of them appear to have been blasted by massive heat.”
Randy nodded, “Getting too close to an exploding planet will do that to a warship. More than twenty Tronan Warships went up when Heaven was hit by a nuclear missile.” He looked up, “Computer, do a thorough map of this area. I suspect this is what the Fleet Admiral wanted us to find.”
“Give me about an hour. It would help if you would do an orbit of the star.”
Sam set the ship’s autopilot to orbit the star at a safe distance and he sat back in his chair and turned around to look at Emily, “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Randy sat back in his chair and turned around to look out of the forward viewport. A few moments later he heard, “I thought when someone loved you it would be forever.”
Randy continued to look out of the forward viewport and said, “That’s a myth.”
He didn’t have to see Emily to know her eyes were slits as she replied angrily, “How do you get off saying that!? You’ve never been in love!”
“Not while you’ve known me. I have been in love before.”
There was a moment of silence and then he heard, “You’ve never mentioned it.”
Randy turned around and looked at Emily. “I swore I would never say her name again.” Emily stared at him with red eyes and Randy sighed, “I met her in secondary-school and fell head over heels for her. She was beautiful, smart, and had a laugh that could melt a glacier.”